Performace enhancing glove

ABSTRACT

A glove having a pinky sheath, a ring finger sheath, and a middle finger sheath. A strap is attached to at least one the pinky sheath, the ring finger sheath, and the middle finger sheath. There is also a releasable strap connection located on the glove. The at least one strap and the at least one strap connection are able to form a releasable connection.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Currently gloves are used in a variety of sports. In several sports,such as baseball, softball and golf, the glove(s) are used to provide abetter grip with a instrument used in the sport (e.g. golf club andbat).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with referenceto the following drawings. The components in the drawings are notnecessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed uponclearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in thedrawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment where the strap extends across the sheaths;

FIGS. 2-4 shows an embodiment in use with an instrument;

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment where the strap extends along the sheaths;

FIGS. 6-7 shows an embodiment in use with an instrument; and

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment where the strap extends from one sheath.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way oflimitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereferences indicate similar elements. It should be noted that referencesto “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily tothe same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of glove 1 is shown. The glove 1comprises a strap 2, one or more strap attachments 13, and one morestrap connections 11.

The strap connections 11 can be located on one more of the sheaths 14 ofthe glove 1. The strap connections 11 can be permanent or temporary.Some embodiments, the strap 2 is stitched to one or more sheaths 14 atthe one or more strap connections 11. In other embodiments, the strapconnection 11 is not permanent (e.g. hook and loop and fasteners).

The strap 2 is of sufficient length such that it can make at least onefull wrap around the handle of the instrument 5 and have the strapdistal end 21 attach to one or more strap attachments 13. The connectionbetween the strap distal end 21 and the strap attachments 13 istemporary. In some embodiments, there is a hoop and loop fastenerattachment means between the strap distal end 21 and the strapattachments 13. In one embodiment, the loops are located on the strapattachments 13, and the hooks located on the strap distal end 21.

In some embodiments, the strap attachments 13 are located so that theywould substantially correspond with the intermediate phalanges of theuser's hand, and the strap attachments 13 are located so that they wouldsubstantially correspond with the proximal phalanges of the user's hand.The strap attachments 13 can be of any size or shape. In someembodiments at least one of the of the strap attachments 13 wraps aroundat least a quarter of the sheath. In one embodiment, the strapattachment 13 wraps around at least a quarter of the pinky sheath.

The element of the removable attachment means, if required, is locatedon the strap distal end 21 is located on the inner side of the strap 2;the outer side of the strap 2; extends along the length or just along aportion of the strap 2; or any combination thereof.

The strap 2 distal portion can be wider, narrower or have the same widthas the rest of the strap 2.

The strap 2 can be made of one or more types of material. The elasticityof the material can be determined by need. In some embodiments, at leastthe part of the strap 2 between the strap connections 11 is elastic toallow relative movement between the sheaths 14. In other embodiments thematerial is not substantially elastic.

In one embodiment, there are strap attachments 13 and the strapconnections 11 located on the middle, ring and pinky finger, and thestrap distal end 21 is wider that the rest of the strap 2.

Referring to FIG. 2-4, the use of an embodiment of the glove 1 with agolf club. The user wraps the strap 2 around the club one full time andthen more to align the strap distal end 21 with the strap attachments13. The strap 2 can have a twist added to it when it is being wrappedaround the instrument 5 as shown. However, it is also understood that atwist is not required. In other embodiments. It is also understood thatthe strap distal end 21 need not engage every strap attachment 13.

Referring to FIG. 5, one embodiment is shown having a strap 2 thatextends along the sheaths 14 of the gloves and a strap attachment 13located at the back of the hand. The strap connection 11 is located onthree sheaths 14. The strap connection 11 is shown having a single strapconnection 11 that extends over several sheaths. In some embodiments,the there are two or more strap connections that extend along thesheaths. In other embodiments, only the last two sheaths 14 have a strapconnection(s) 11.

Refereeing to FIGS. 6 and 7, the strap 2 is used to secure the grip ofthe user to the instrument 5, while not actually touching the instrument5. This may prevent the violation of certain athletic rules. The strap 2is run in the direction of the fingers and wrapped around the thumbmetacarpals and/or the thumb carpals so that the strap distal end 21 canreach be secured to the strap attachment 13 located on the back of thehand.

Referring to FIG. 8, an embodiment is shown having a strap that extendsfrom the pinky sheath while there is a union 17 along substantially theentire length of the junction of the middle sheath and the ring fingersheath, and a union 17 along substantially the entire length of thejunction of the ring finger sheath and the pinky sheath. These unions 17serve to join the middle, ring and pinky fingers so that they act inconcert with the strap, even though the strap is only attached to thepinky sheath. It is understood that the unions 17 can be permanent, e.g.stitching, or non-permanent, e.g. button snaps, loop and hook fasteners.The union 17 may also be in the form of one or more pieces of elasticand/or non-elastic webbing between the sheaths. The width and/orelasticity of the webbing can vary. It is also understood that the union17 need not extend along the entire length of the junction. In someembodiments, there is only one union between the ring finger sheath andthe pinky sheath.

In different embodiments the strap attachments 13, on the sheaths 14 onwhich located, extend approximately to where the intermediate phalangesends. For different instruments 15, this will vary. The circumference ofbaseball bat is different than a golf club, so the designed location ofthe strap attachments 13 can vary. The strap attachments 13 can alsovary given the size of the hand the glove 1 is designed to fit. Achild's glove 1 may require that the strap attachments 13, on one ormore sheaths 14, extend onto the distal phalanges.

Additionally, the length of the strap 2 of different embodiments, canvary to take in consideration the purpose of the glove 1 (e.g. golf orbaseball) and/or the size of the hand (e.g. child or adult).

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoingdescription of embodiments, together with details of the structures andfunctions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only andchanges may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, andarrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the fullextent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which theappended claims are expressed. And while the invention has beendescribed above with respect to several embodiments, any elementdescribed in reference to any particular embodiment is hereby disclosedto be associated with any other embodiment of the invention.

1. An apparatus comprising: a glove comprising a pinky sheath, a ringfinger sheath, and a middle finger sheath; at least one strap; at leasttwo strap attachments, wherein the at least two strap attachmentsconnects the at least one strap to the glove and each of the at leasttwo strap attachments are located on the pinky sheath, the ring fingersheath, or the middle finger sheath; at least one strap connectionlocated on the glove, wherein the at least one strap and the at leastone strap connection are adapted to form a releasable connection.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the releasable connection is formed by ahook and loop fastener.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the atleast one strap connection is located on a back side of the glove. 4.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one strapconnection is separately located on the pinky sheath, the ring fingersheath, or the middle finger sheath.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the at least one strap further comprises a strap distal end, andit is the strap distal end that is part of the releasable connectionwith the at least one strap connection.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the at least two strap attachments are non-releasable.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least two strap attachments consistof three strap attachments, and one of each of the three strapattachments are located on the pinky sheath, the ring finger sheath, andthe middle finger sheath.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the atleast one strap extends across the pinky sheath, and the ring fingersheath.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one strapextends along the pinky sheath and the ring finger sheath.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one strap connection extendsalong the pinky sheath or the ring finger sheath, so as to substantiallycorrespond to intermediate phalanges of a user's pinky or ring finger.11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least two strapattachments are permanent attachments.
 12. An apparatus comprising: aglove comprising a pinky sheath and a ring finger sheath; at least onestrap; one or more unions, wherein the one or more unions connect thepinky sheath and the ring finger sheath; at least one strap connectionlocated on the glove, wherein the at least one strap and the at leastone strap connection are adapted to form a releasable connection. 13.The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the releasable connection is formedby a hook and loop fastener.
 14. The apparatus of clam 12, wherein theat least one strap connection is located on a back side of the glove.15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a middle fingersheath, wherein the one or more unions connect the ring finger sheathand the middle finger sheath.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein theone or more unions comprise an element that is selected from the groupconsisting of elastic material, animal hide, hook and loop fasteners,elastic webbing, non-elastic webbing, stitching, snaps, and combinationsthereof.